Although not an official holiday, fans everywhere celebrate Star Wars Day on May 4th by doing everything from dressing up as their favorite character to just laying back and putting on their favorite film of the franchise. Want another way to commemorate the day? Check out these unbuilt New York City buildings that could have come straight out of the Star Wars galaxy.
In this article:
THE KHALEESI
Although not inspired by the Star Wars franchise, this sculptural tower was named after a character from another fantasy saga – George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," a series of novels adapted into the HBO hit "Game of Thrones." Mark Foster Gage proposed The Khaleesi in 2015 in response to modern skyscrapers that are "virtually free of architectural design." The project would rise 102 stories (1,492 feet!) and contain 91 residential units, a sky lobby, retail, and a 4-star restaurant. If it were built, each residential unit would have had its own unique sculptural exterior, designed to frame particular features of the surrounding urban and natural landscapes.
The project site is one of the many valuable development sites on 57th Street sitting in limbo, and the most recent plans call for a slender supertall condo designed by OMA Architects.
The project site is one of the many valuable development sites on 57th Street sitting in limbo, and the most recent plans call for a slender supertall condo designed by OMA Architects.
HYPERBOLOID
This 1954 proposal by IM Pei for Young and William Zeckendorf would have still been considered futuristic if it were built today. The hourglass-shaped office tower would have stood over 100 stories tall and replaced our beloved Grand Central. And while there were a number of reasons plans for the tower were scrapped, it mostly came down to money. A cheaper alternative was suggested but eventually went nowhere since the terminal became landmarked shortly after.
425 PARK AVENUE
A stunning creation of the late Zaha Hadid, this proposal was submitted to L&L Holdings Company in 2012 to replace its mid-century office block at 425 Park Avenue with a $750 million, LEED-certified skyscraper. The 669-foot-tall tower employed Hadid's signature style with its curvy metal ribs, exhibiting what she described as "restrained elegance." A more conservative scheme by Norman Foster was eventually chosen but a similar Hadid design lives on in downtown Miami.
WTC HOTEL ATTRACTION
Originally proposed in the 1900s by the Catalan legend Antoni Gaudi, this 1,100-foot-tall castle-like skyscraper was envisioned as a downtown playhouse for the wealthy and elite and would have been the tallest building in the country had it been built at the time. We don't know why it never came to fruition but some believe Gaudi abandoned the project on principle due to his communist beliefs, while another story maintains he fell ill in 1909 and canceled it altogether. In 2003 (nearly 80 years after his death), his vision was almost given another chance after it was submitted into the new World Trade Center design competition by a group of Spanish artists. Of course, that fell through as well.
MSG TOWERS / PENN STATION
Before it was announced that Madison Square Garden would be undergoing renovations rather than a relocation, this space-like design proposal by Skidmore, Owings and Merill was believed to be a reality. The $14 billion project was to consist of seven buildings, including 1,400-foot-tall twin residential towers, a stadium, and a new Penn Station. Some design highlights of the station would have been a glass dome over the main ticketing area, upgraded amenities for riders, intuitive pathways to follow, a direct connection to the airport, and an impressive tiered garden.
WORLD TRADE CENTER
Foster + Partners' plan for the new World Trade Center following September 11th was a unique 1,764-foot-tall twinned tower – "the most secure, the greenest and the tallest in the world." The towers would have "kissed" at three points, creating public observation platforms, exhibits, cafes, and more. The architecture firm was also set to design 2 World Trade Center (200 Greenwich Street) but a 90-story tower envisioned by the Bjarke Ingels Group was chosen instead.
80 SOUTH STREET
Spanish/Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava planned this 1,123-foot-tall skyscraper at 80 South Street in 2005. The unique building, which featured a stacked cube design, was ultimately scrapped due to the financial crisis in 2008. And unfortunately, it looks like a bland supertall may rise at the site instead. However, the Chinese development company that owns the site is looking to sell, so perhaps one day something as visionary as Calatrava's scheme may rise here.
ONE MADISON AVENUE
Another site plan scrapped due to the 2008 financial crisis, this eco-friendly residential tower would have stood 934 feet tall (54 stories) and featured a sky garden, with sections of the building "cut" open. "It's as if nature has come back into the city," described Architect Daniel Libeskind. A very bland and boxy office tower is finishing construction here instead. Thankfully it doesn't block the iconic clock of the Metropolitan Life Building next door.
WORLD TRADE CENTER
This sci-fi-like design was also proposed for the World Trade Center site in 2002. Envisioned by United Architects, the bold 70-story project would have consisted of five interconnected buildings, creating an enclosure around the site to hold the memorial. In 2016, documentary filmmaker Tom Jennings told Business Insider that the experimental nature of the design was naive because it "didn't fully consider the political climate post 9/11," a time when New Yorkers and Americans were "seeking stability, certainty, and tradition." This complex was likely too advanced for its time.
10 COLUMBUS CIRCLE
This Murphy/Jahn design for 10 Columbus Circle was one of Donald Trump's many attempts to erect the world's tallest building – and his third proposal for this site! The plans – which were anything but conservative – were called "no more than a pretentious parade of overblown skyscrapers" and inappropriate for Columbus Circle. If built, the visionary tower would have stood 1,275 feet or 135 stories.
Additional Reporting by Ondel Hylton
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
6sqft delivers the latest on real estate, architecture, and design, straight from New York City.
